Revision as of 20:41, 29 November 2012

Occupations are an important tool for the family history researcher. They help us to identify the same person when there are others in the same record by the same name. They help us to understand our ancestors life circumstances.

Occupations were also a measure of social status. Some trades were viewed as more prestigious than others. For example, goldsmiths had more prestige than shoemakers. Many trades, such as butchers, tanners, shoemakers, tailors, and others were organized into guilds, which were in charge of training apprentices and regulating a trade's practice in an area.

This occupational word list is under construction. It contains all the occupations found in the old Swedish Genealogical Word list (published by the Family History Library), along with new entries from other sources. The intention is to improve the old list. Keep in mind there are some words that do not have a good English translation. See the references at the bottom of the page for all the sources used in building this list.

baron is a title used later for friherrar. Between 1626 and 1719 the nobility was divided into three classes. Friherrar belonged to the second class, yet still considered high nobility. After the dismantlement of the classes, the friherrar continued as nobility (some titled, others not) with a coat of arms.

basunist

trumpeter

performer on the trumpet, or trombone

bataljonsadjuntant

(military) sergeant-major

bataljonschef

(military) commander of a battalion

batterikonstapel

(military) battalion bombardier

bedragare

cheat, impostor, deceiver

befallningshavande

governor, magistrate, officer in command

Kungens ...His Majesties county government board, high sheriff

befallningsman

bailiff, husbandry, overseer

befallningsman (konungens)

county governor

Also seen as abbreviation befalm.

befaren båtsman

(military) traveling sailor

befordrare

promoter, advancer, forwarder, furtherer (1788)

befällningshavande

officer in command

bensamlare

rag and bone seller, bone hunter

bergmästare

minemaster (1829)

mineral surveyor as a government official (1889)

bergsarbetare

miner

bergsbruksidkare

mining man

bergsfogde

bailiff of a mine

bergshauptman

mine inspector

bergskarl

miner

bergslagsman

miner, proprietor of a mine

bergsman

miner

usually a mining farmer, not a mine worker

beridare

horsebreaker, riding master

beskattningsman

taxer, assessor

beslagare

seizer, confiscator, setter

beslagskarl

see beslagare

besökare

customs official (1889), visitor (modern)

betjänt

servant, civil servant

bettlare

beggar

bevaktare

guard, keeper

bevakningsbefälhavare

captain of the watch

bevarare

preserver, saver, conservator

beväringskarl

militia man, conscript

beväringsman

militia man, conscript

bibliotekarie

librarian

bijouterihandlare

dealer in jewelry, trinkets

bildhuggare

sculptor, statuary, carver

bildskärare

se bildsnidare

bildsnidare

sculptor

biljettförsäljare

ticket seller, booking clerk

biljettförsäljerska

ticket seller, booking clerk (woman)

bilöpare

interloper

a illegal or unlicensed trader

bindare

tier, binder, fastener

for example net making

biodlare

bee-keeper, bee-master, apiarist

biskop

bishop

sometimes abbreviated as bisp.

biskötare

bee-keeper, bee-master

biträde

assistant

bjudare

inviter, asker, offerer, bidder

bleckslagare

tin smith, white smith, tinner, tinman

If you are researching an ancestor who worked as a smith: see: Smedskivan

blockmakare

block maker, pulley maker

blodigelodlare

cultivator of leeches

blomsterhandlare

flower seller (male)

also known as blomstermånglare

blomsterhandlerska

flower seller (female)

also known as blomstermånglerska

blomsterodlare

cultivator of flowers, florist

blossbärare

torch-bearer

blyarbetare

lead worker, plumber

blyfalsare

plumber

blystöpare

plumber

blytäckare

plumber

bodbetjent

shopkeeper's clerk, shopman, counterman

boddräng

shop hand

bodflicka

shop girl, shop maid

bodgosse

shop boy, shop keepers apprentice

bodhandlare

shopkeeper, tradesman

bodmamsell

shop girl, shop woman

bokbindare

bookbinder

bokförare

book keeper

bokhandlare

bookseller

bokhållare

book keeper

same as bokförare

bokhäftare

book stitcher

bokmakare

book wright, book maker

bonde

farmer, peasant, countryman, husbandman

bondedräng

farm hand

a farmer's man, young peasant

bondeflicka

country girl

bondepiga

peasant's maid

borgare

citizen, burgher

member of the bourgeois, townsman, tradesman, citizen of a city (meaning certain rights within the city)

borgmästare

mayor

in England and North America.. mayor, in Scotland.. provost, in Holland, Belgium, Flanders, and Germany.. burgomaster.

borrare

borer, driller, piercer, perforator

borrmakare

bit forger

a smith that makes drilling and chiseling bits

borrsmed

bit smith

a smith that makes drilling and chiseling bits If you are researching an ancestor who worked as a smith, see: Smedskivan

boskapshandlare

dealer of livestock

boskapsherde

herdsman

boskapsskötare

stockman

boskapsvaktare

herdsman

boställshavare

holder (occupier) of (an official) residence

bouppteckningsman

person who inventories (1889)

boutredningsman

administrator

brandmästare

fire warden

braständare

fire lighter

brevbärare

letter carrier, postman

brevdragare

see brevbärare

brevskrivare

letter writer

brevställare

see brevskrivare

brobyggare

bridge builder

broderare

embroiderer

broläggare

bridge builder, paver

bromästare

bridge master

bronsarbetare

worker in bronze

bronsgjutare

bronze founder, brazier

brottmålsdomare

judge criminal

brottmålsnoterie

crown clerk

brovaktare

guard of a bridge

brovindare

bridge driver

brukare

user, employer, (in the case of arrendator) a tenant, leaseholder

bruksarbetare

factoryman, workman employed on a manufacturing estate; workman in the employment of the iron works, foundryman, mill hand

bruksegare

proprietor of a manufacturing estate

bryggare

brewer

brännmästare

master distiller

brännvinsbrännare

brandy distiller

buntmakare

fur merchant, furrier, fellmonger

byfogde

hamlet bailiff

byggare, byggkarl

builder, architect, constructor, founder

byggmästare

master builder, contractor

bykerska

washerwoman

byskomakare

village shoemaker

bågflytt

archer, bowman

båtsman, b.m., B.m.

(military) seaman, sailor

bälgmakare

bellows-maker

bödel

executioner

bösseskytt

(military)

bössmed

gunsmith

cantor

(latin)

see klockare

commissarius

(latin)

curatus

custod

(latin)

d., dr.

abbreviation for dräng

dagkarl, daglönare

day laborer

danneman

yeoman, countryman, farmer

degn

assistant to the priest

The term "degn" is a Danish title for an assistant to the parish priest. The term can be found in the records for areas of modern Sweden that have Danish roots (Skåne, Halland, etc.)

If you are researching an ancestor who worked as a smith, see: Smedskivan

tiggare

beggar

timmerhuggare

timber cutter

timmerman

carpenter, builder

tingsskrivare

copyist of court cases

tjuv

thief

tjänare

servant

also means domestic, menial worker, or attendant

tjänstehjon

servant, menial work

see tjänare

tobakshandlare

tobacco merchant

tobaksspinnare

tobacco spinner

tolvman

se nämdeman

tornväktare

tower watch

torpare

cottager, tenant farmer, peasant

This term can have different meanings according to where you are in the country. In southern Sweden it means a farmer who is dependent on another farm (like a tenant farmer.) In northern Sweden it is more likely that the torpare owned his little farm.

tresserska

braider, plaiter

trikotstickerska

tricot knitter,

a woman who knits tricot fabric

trummare

drummer

tryckare

printer, pressman

trädgårdsmästare

gardener

tullbetjänt

customs officer

tulltjänsteman

customs officer

tullvaktmästare

landing waiter

tunnbindare

barrelmaker, cooper

tunnelarbetare

tunneller

tvättare

male launderer, washerman

tvätterska

washerwoman

tvättgumma

washerwoman

tältmakare

tent maker

ullfärgare

wool dyer

ullhandlare

wool merchant, trader in wool

underlöjtnant

sub lieutenant

underofficer

non comissioned officer

underståtthållare

sub governor, deputy sheriff

urmakare

watch and clockmaker

vagnmakare

cartwright, carriage maker

vagnmästare

wagon master

vaktare

keeper, warder, guard, watcher

vaktmästare

caretaker

vallflicka

shepherd girl, girl tending cattle, shepherdess

valkare

fuller, miller

vallhjon

a person tending cattle in the field

vandrare

wanderer, rambler, stroller, tramper

vapendragare

squire, esquire

vedhuggare

wood cutter

vice häradshövding

see häradshövding

vicepastor

curate

a clergyman in charge of a parish, or an assistant to the clergyman in charge of a parish